Album Review: Sundara Karma - 'Better Luck Next Time'
A poignant, pumped up, electrifying lesson in the art of indie writing: Sundara Karma return with their third studio record: ‘Better Luck Next Time’.
Having been on the scene for some time, the group have never ceased to amaze with their music. Everything they have put out in recent years has been nothing short of brilliant. Listeners are always eager to hear what’s next from the group, but anticipation for the latest record was at an all time high after fans were treated some excellent singles, including ‘Friends of Mine’ which was the ultimate re-introduction into the world of Sundara Karma.
‘Better Luck Next Time’ kicks off in extravagant fashion, with ‘Baby Blue’ being the opener. As one of the tracks released ahead of the album, fans have already had a chance to savour this one. It’s abundantly cool and fast and fuzzy. Sundara Karma have their audience right where they want them from the get-go. Fast guitars, commanding drums and epic vocals transcend the track to make it the absolute epitome of what an album-opener should be.
The opener is followed by a number of other singles released in the run up to the record. Two of which are ‘Friends of Mine’ and ‘Miss Again’. The latter of which being the most recent single. An outstanding vocal performance from front-man Oscar Pollock features on the track, where he really takes centre stage. He seems to be exploring a sound that he doesn’t always opt for, but it’s brilliant. The rest of the group compliment their lead vocalist perfectly with expert instrumentation. Most notable is the lead guitar performance of Ally Baty. The guitarist really adds flavour to the track with a repeated, distorted lead riff that seamlessly builds the track up in all the right places. ‘Miss Again’ really shows the full ability of Sundara Karma.
Speaking on ‘Miss Again’ as a track, the front-man said: “I’m quietly hoping that it becomes a crowd favourite at our live shows. It’s so fun to play, even though the lyrics are kinda depressing.”
I’m sure it will go down a treat at live dates. The track is perfect in that listeners can lose themselves to the music when hearing it.
It has to be said that, with this record, the band have achieved the ultimate blend of feel good music and deep wordplay. A prime example of this is the track ‘Violence To The Spirit’. On the surface, it’s yet another epic band performance with every member of the group combining to create a suspenseful piece of music that explodes in its choruses and builds in its verses. It’s another that will have crowds moving. Yet when you delve a bit deeper, it really is a meaningful track with some extremely thoughtful lyrics and imagery. Pollock sings “One of these days it’s really gonna be goodbye.” This bluntly honest and thought-provoking lyric is paired with almost inspirational music. It’s genius. This track really is an expert blend of music and lyricism, and it really could be a huge hit with fans.
The seamless flow of the new record is just as admirable as the tracks that find themselves in the body of work. Each track seems to be perfectly positioned. For example, the flow of ‘Violence To The Spirit’ into ‘Sounds Good To Me’ is effortless. The second of the two tracks feels to be a seriously poignant moment in the record. It has a slower tempo and a careful tone. The group have crafted a track that feels almost entirely self-reflectional and just generally powerful.
In celebration of the album, the group are embarking on a lengthy UK tour in November and December of this year. They have 18 headline shows lined up where fans will gather in their hundreds and thousands to witness some of the new material as well as some old favourites.
One of the tracks that fans will look forward to is the penultimate number of the new record is ‘Okay I’m Lonely’. This one begins slow and largely synth-based, before evolving into yet another suspenseful drum performance by Haydn Evans. The track is an audible journey through a range of emotions. The title will be ironic at live dates, since fans will be there with the group, rendering nobody in the venue lonely at that moment in time. Yet again, it’s poignant and powerful and extremely comforting. With this record, Sundara Karma offer listeners respite. Despite being exclusively instrumental, ‘Okay I’m Lonely’ is a perfect track that fans can relate to, with emotions being expressed in the absence of words.
The album closes out with the titular track. ‘Better Luck Next Time’ the song is the perfect way to close out the record. It shows off the group’s abilities one last time, and it gives listeners one last chance to savour the record before it concludes.
With that, Sundara Karma’s third studio record is complete, and it is quite-simply amazing.
Words by Matthew Caslin
